Multipurpose tool for cleaning machines

ABSTRACT

A multipurpose tool for cleaning machines, comprising a body that is interchangeably associable with a cleaning machine provided with an electric motor; the body is movable on wheels and a front advancement part thereof is arranged transversely to a main direction of motion so as to form a housing that is open downward and accommodates a bristled roller that is moved, by virtue of transmission elements, by an electric motor accommodated within the body; the body is articulated to a coupling element that is suitable to provide a detachable connection to the machine with a dirt suction duct. The tool further comprises a cover that is detachably associable below the housing at an open region where the roller is located, the cover having at least one suction slot and elements for closing the region to the rear of the roller between the housing and the floor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a multipurpose tool for cleaningmachines.

[0002] The tool is particularly suitable for carpet sweepers with one ortwo motors.

[0003] Tools suitable only for removing dust are known which areconstituted by a box-like body that can move on wheels and in which thefront advancement part lies transversely to the main direction of motionso as to form a housing that rotatably accommodates a bristled brushingroller that is moved at high speed (on the order of 2,000 to 5,000 rpm),by virtue of transmission means, by an electric motor accommodatedwithin the box-like body.

[0004] Such body is articulated to a coupling element that is suitableto provide the detachable connection to the cleaning machine by means ofa duct for aspirating the dirt removed by the roller.

[0005] Such tools are suitable only for use on carpets or fittedcarpeting, since otherwise the high rotation rate of the brush, requiredto remove the dirt from the pile, on hard floors would spread the dirtmore, producing the opposite of the intended effect.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The aim of the present invention is to provide a tool that by wayof simple and rapid operations can be converted from a tool for removingdust and dirt from fitted carpeting and/or carpets or the like into atool for removing dust and dirt from smooth floors.

[0007] Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to providea tool that is easy to use even for non-specialized users.

[0008] Another important object is to reduce the number of accessoriesfor cleaning machines.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide anapparatus that can be manufactured with known technologies.

[0010] This aim and these and other objects that will become betterapparent hereinafter are achieved by a multipurpose tool for cleaningmachines, which comprises a box-like body that is interchangeablyassociable with a cleaning machine provided with an electric motor, saidbox-like body being movable on wheels, a front advancement part thereofbeing arranged transversely to a main direction of motion so as to forma housing that is open downward and accommodates a bristled roller thatis moved, by virtue of transmission means, by an electric motoraccommodated within the body, said body being articulated to a couplingelement that is suitable to provide a detachable connection to themachine with a dirt suction duct, said tool being characterized in thatit comprises a cover that is detachably associable below said housing atan open region where said roller is located, said cover having at leastone suction slot and means for closing the region to the rear of saidroller between the housing and the floor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Further characteristics and advantages of the present inventionwill become better apparent from the following detailed description oftwo embodiments thereof, illustrated only by way of non-limitativeexample in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tool according to the presentinvention;

[0013]FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the tool of FIG. 1 in a firstconfiguration;

[0014]FIG. 3 is a partially sectional side view of the tool in theconfiguration of FIG. 2;

[0015]FIGS. 4 and 5 are sectional bottom views of a cover used in thefirst configuration;

[0016]FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the tool of FIG. 1 in a secondconfiguration;

[0017]FIG. 7 is a partially sectional side view of the tool in theconfiguration of FIG. 6;

[0018]FIGS. 8 and 9 are sectional bottom views of a cover used in thesecond configuration.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, a tool according to the inventionis generally designated by the reference numeral 10.

[0020] The tool 10 is interchangeably associable with a cleaningmachine, for example a vacuum cleaner, not shown, which is adequatelyprovided with an electric motor.

[0021] Moreover, the tool 10 comprises a box-like body 11, which in thiscase is made of plastics, that can move on four wheels 12 arranged inpairs; the front advancement part of the body lies transversely to amain direction of motion so as to form a housing 13 that is open in adownward region, is wider than the remainder of the box-like body 11,and rotatably accommodates a bristled roller 14.

[0022] The roller 14 is moved, by virtue of belt drive means, by anelectric motor, not shown in the figures, that is accommodated withinthe box-like body 11.

[0023] The box-like body 11 is articulated to a coupling element 15,which is suitable to provide the detachable connection to the cleaningmachine and incorporates means for electrical connection to the mainsfor the electric motor, said means being constituted in this case by aplug, not shown in the figures.

[0024] The coupling element 15 has, in this case, a tubular cavity 17,which leads into the region of the roller 14 and is suitable to beassociated with the tubular stem of the machine that constitutes asuction duct.

[0025] The roller 14, in this embodiment, comprises bristles 19, whichare arranged according to a geometry that converges at the center.

[0026] According to the invention, the tool 10 comprises a cover 20,which is detachably associable below the housing 13 at the open region21 where the roller 14 is located.

[0027] The cover 20 has, in this case, a comb-like front shape (witharrow-shaped teeth 28), which forms a set of suction slots 22, and acovering felt 23, which constitutes a means for closing the region tothe rear of the roller 14 between the housing 13 and the floor 24.

[0028] The felt 23, which follows the profile of the cover 20, alsoconstitutes an element for resting on the floor 24 that is particularlysuitable for delicate floors, such as wood floors, and allows to polishwhile vacuuming.

[0029] In this case, the cover 20 has three slotted holes 25 for fixingit to the housing 13; the slotted holes lie transversely to a maindirection of motion, and respective T-shaped elements 26 can be insertedtherein and are rigidly coupled to the housing 13 in correspondingregions and can rotate about their own axis of symmetry between aposition in which the head can pass through the respective hole 25 and aposition in which said head straddles said hole.

[0030] The holes 25 are formed in recessed regions 27 of the housing 13.

[0031] With reference now to FIGS. 6 to 9, the tool 10 also comprises acover 120, which is detachably associable below the housing 13 at theopen region 21 in which the roller 14 is located.

[0032] The cover 120 has, in this case, a single suction slot 122 (whichlies transversely to the main direction of motion), and a lip 123 madeof rubber or equivalent elastomeric material, which constitutes a meansfor closing the region to the rear of the roller 14 between the housing13 and the floor 24.

[0033] The lip 123 rests on the floor 24 and flexes, and is particularlysuitable for hard floors such as ceramics, terracotta, marble, etcetera.

[0034] In order to fix it to the housing 13, the cover 120 also isprovided with three slotted holes 125, which lie transversely to themain direction of motion and in which said T-shaped elements 26, rigidlycoupled to said housing 13, can be inserted.

[0035] In practice it has been observed that the present invention hasachieved the intended aim and objects.

[0036] It is in fact noted that the tool according to the invention canbe easily associated with a cleaning machine (for example a vacuumcleaner), which is only required to have an electric motor, and can beconverted by means of simple and quick operations from a tool forremoving dust and dirt from fitted carpeting and/or carpets or the likeinto a tool for removing dust and dirt from smooth floors.

[0037] In this manner, the user can purchase a cleaning machine thatallows him to perform several operations, with a considerable saving interms of purchase and maintenance costs and great advantages in terms ofstorage space saving.

[0038] The tool according to the invention combines the above featureswith high effectiveness in operation and great adaptability to variousrequirements of application in view of its structural flexibility andits adjustments.

[0039] The present invention is susceptible of numerous modificationsand variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventiveconcept.

[0040] All the details may further be replaced with other technicallyequivalent elements.

[0041] In practice, the materials employed, so long as they arecompatible with the contingent use, as well as the dimensions, may beany according to requirements.

[0042] The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. PD2001A000125from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein byreference.

What is claimed is:
 1. A multipurpose tool for cleaning machines,comprising a box-like body that is interchangeably associable with acleaning machine provided with an electric motor, said box-like bodybeing movable on wheels, a front advancement part thereof being arrangedtransversely to a main direction of motion so as to form a housing thatis open downward and accommodates a bristled roller that is moved, byvirtue of transmission means, by an electric motor accommodated withinthe body, said body being articulated to a coupling element that issuitable to provide a detachable connection to the machine with a dirtsuction duct, said tool further comprising a cover that is detachablyassociable below said housing at an open region where said roller islocated, said cover having at least one suction slot and means forclosing the region to the rear of said roller between the housing andthe floor.
 2. The tool according to claim 1, wherein said cover has afront comb-like shape that forms a plurality of said suction slots and acovering felt which, by resting on the floor, constitutes said means forclosing the region to the rear of said roller between the housing andthe floor.
 3. The tool according to claim 2, wherein said frontcomb-like shape has arrow-shaped teeth.
 4. The tool according to claim1, wherein said cover has a single suction slot that lies transverselyto the main direction of motion and a lip made of rubber or equivalentelastomeric material that rests on the floor and constitutes said meansfor closing the region to the rear of said roller between the housingand the floor.
 5. The tool according to claim 1, wherein said cover hasslotted holes for fixing it to said housing, respective T-shapedelements being insertable in said slotted holes, being rigidly coupledto said housing in corresponding regions and being rotatable about theirown axis of symmetry between a position in which a head of said elementscan pass through the respective hole and a position in which said headstraddles said hole.